Exposure of Sikhism at national level in America

05 April 2011, WASHINGTON: Sikhs and Hindus are featured prominently in the nationwide PBS public television documentary “The Asian & Abrahamic Religions: A Divine Encounter in America”. Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) had collaborated with the Auteur Productions to feature Sikhism as part of this documentary and this will be shown over 300 public television stations nationwide via WGBH TV, Boston.

To check broadcast times and dates in your local area, visit:
http://www.asianandabrahamicreligions.com/tvschedule.htm

It features famous and prominent religious personalities including Bishop of Washington National Cathedral John Bryson Chane, famous best selling author of several books on various religions Karen Armstrong, Dr. Diana Eck of Harvard University, Buddhist Scholar Robert Thurman from Columbia University, Prominent Jewish leader Rabbi David Rosen, Dr. Steve Prothero of Boston University and Dr. Rajwant Singh, Chairman of Sikh Council in Washington. It also includes prominent Sikh personalities from across the nation.

Dr. Rajwant Singh said, "This film serves a very important purpose of correcting stereotypes about Hindus and Sikhs and it promotes greater understanding of the Sikh religion and other Indian religions, for western audiences. This will also help in educating fellow Americans about Sikh observances and traditions like turban and other symbols."

Auteur Productions have previously produced two feature films on Jews and Christians and Three faiths One God focused on Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Both of those films have been shown repeatedly on the public TV and has been shown worldwide. In addition, State Department has shown these films at the US Embassies across the globe. Most Americans have very little understanding about Asian religions and also do not have the knowledge that Sikhs have been part of America since late 1800's according to Dr. Rajwant Singh. Hindu religion is also misunderstood and people have misconception about its belief system.

A major sequence in this documentary shows the service at the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation in which the world famous hymn singers from India, Bhai Satvinder Singh, Bhai Harvinder Singh and Bhai Manjeet Singh, who accompany them on table, are shown performing kirtan.

The documentary’s cameras were at the Sikh Temple in Yuba City, California, for the exciting 300th anniversary celebration of Guru Granth Sahib’s Guru Gaddi. We see the holy Guru Granth Sahib placed on a lavishly decorated float and honored and respected by 80,000 Sikhs from around the country and the world as they parade through the streets of Yuba City, California. Ragi Sarabjit Singh, Hazoori Ragi of Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, is shown performing kirtan. It was a spectacular worship event that will dramatically demonstrate to public television audiences nationwide that Sikhs are truly ‘People of the Book.’

Jerry Krell, producer of the film said, “Appearing in this documentary are: Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, who is the father of fiber optics and collector of important religious Sikh art.

A still from the documentary

Jerry told that the team photographed the impressive works, which have been exhibited worldwide and are in the permanent collection at the Asian art museum in San Francisco. Also, they videotaped noted author, and columnist Jessi Kaur, who speaks as well in her interview about the importance of the turban in Sikh religion. Dr Jasbir Singh Kang, prominent Yuba City physician and author of “Punjabi Migration to the United States” was also interviewed. In Stockton, California, at the oldest Sikh Gurdwara in the United States, Dr. Bruce La Brack, Professor of Anthropology and International Studies at University of Pacific and author ‘the Sikhs of Northern California’ and ‘Sikhs in the United States’ was also interviewed.

He further stated, “It is important for anyone concerned with promoting an understanding of the Asian Religions, to become associated with this ground-breaking public television documentary that explores common beliefs, traditions and rituals, comparing similarities and differences that the Asian religions have with the Abrahamic religions. giving instance of the interview of Rabbi David Rosen, the distinguished international Director of interreligious affairs for the American Jewish Committee.

Drawing parallels between Sikhism and Judaism, Jerry said, "We have in both of our religious cultures experienced a sense of persecution, a sense of vulnerability, a sense of being a minority that has to maintain it’s own particular culture and identity and values often in the face of a great deal of hostility and there is no question that this experience has substantially formulated Sikh consciousness just as it has substantially formulated Jewish consciousness. I think that within Sikhism there has been very much that balance between maintain your particular identity while at the same time being conscious that you are part and parcel of the whole universe and that you have an even responsibility towards the universe as a whole.”

To check broadcast times and dates in your local area, visit:
http://www.asianandabrahamicreligions.com/tvschedule.htm